20100411
ALL AFRICA

Acting President Goodluck Jonathan arrived the United States of America yesterday morning for a four-day official working visit during which he would participate in the international Nuclear Security Summit to be hosted by President Barack Obama.

Jonathan, according to a statement by his spokesman, Ima Niboro, arrived the Andrews Airforce Base, Virginia, at 9.30am local time (3.30pm Nigerian time) and was received by US Ambassador to Nigeria Robin Renee Sanders, her Nigerian counterpart Ade Adefuye, and other ranking Nigerian and US officials.

The acting president was billed to meet Obama at 5-30pm (11.30pm Nigerian time) on Sunday. The meeting would have been held by now. Jonathan will also have lunch with US Vice President Joe Biden today.

After lunch with Biden, Jonathan will meet with the President of the World Bank, at the World Bank building in Washington DC, and later in the evening join other visiting Heads of Government and delegations for a working dinner with President Barack Obama.

"On Tuesday, Jonathan will join other world leaders for the first plenary session of the Nuclear Security Summit to be chaired by President Obama before proceeding for a working lunch with the US president. He will thereafter participate in the second plenary, which marks the end of the nuclear summit."

On Wednesday, Jonathan would have breakfast with the officials of the Centre for Global Development in Washington DC, and another meeting with Nigerian community in the US as well as a luncheon with Coordinator, Corporate Council on Africa.

Jonathan returns to Nigeria on Wednesday, the statement said.

The acting president was accompanied by Foreign Affairs Minister Odein Ajumogobia and former Nigerian envoy to the US Alhaji Hassan Adamu. On arrival, Jonathan proceeded to Westin Grand Hotel, Washington DC, where he was received by Governors Ikedi Ohakim of Imo, Adams Oshiomhole of Edo and Aliyu Shinkafi of Zamfara, Joy Ogwu, the Nigeria Permanent Representative to the United Nations (UN) and other top diplomats.